Three-dimensional (3D) printing, also referred to as additive manufacturing, is a process in which successive layers of a material, commonly plastic, are deposited to form a three-dimensional object. The definition for the 3D object typically resides in digital data, which may originate as a three-dimensional computer aided design (i.e., solid “digital” models) of the object, or may be derived from a 3D scan of the actual object. The digital surface definition for the object is typically stored in the STL (stereolithography) file format that is native to CAD software developed by 3D Systems, Inc, and is used by the 3D printer to manufacture the object.
Injection molding tends to be less expensive for the production of greater quantities of an object. However, 3D printing is faster, and is more cost-effective where relatively few parts are desired/printed, which is common for the prototyping and proof-of-concept required for development of new designs, and also for the consumer 3D printing community and marketplace (see e.g., Pinshape: Free 3D Printable Files and Designs; Trinpy; Guaranteed Printable Designs for your Desktop 3D Printer: and 3dFilemarket.com A Growing 3D printing Community).
Few of the available repositories of 3D Printable Designs charge a fee for the downloading of its digital data. One of the drawbacks of charging a fee for such downloads is that once the source code has been obtained, the person who made the purchase now has possession of the code and can print as many copies as desired. Moreover, the one-time purchaser could even remarket the design, perhaps even without the use of public advertising, so that the designer may never become aware of the violation of the copyright in his/her original work. Software that is made readily available may enter the public domain.
To counteract piracy, and help enforce copyrights associated with software and other works, Digital Rights Management (DRM) schemes are developed and deployed in the form of access control technologies. One of the oldest versions of DRM is the product key required for the installation of software on a computer. Newer types of DRM are used to limit the alteration and unauthorized copying/distribution of e-books.
The general provision of a system for copying data and limiting the extent of such copying has only been partially addressed in the prior art, as shown by the following: U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,654 to Ikeda; U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,538 to Elteto; U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. 2003/0018895; U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,212 to Zeng; U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,190 to Morito; U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,527 to Parlour; U.S. Pat. No. 7,111,285 to Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 7,155,415 to Russell; U.S. Pat. No. 7,130,831 to Howard; U.S. Pat. No. 7,627,119 to Bussert; U.S. Pat. No. 7,868,899 to Fennery; and U.S. Pat. No. RE43,936 to Isaacson. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 8,234,715 to Zollinger, and U.S. Pat. No. 9,699,519 to Watson.
However, an improved security system is thus necessary for the secure distribution of a digital 3D print file. The present invention provides several solutions to overcome drawbacks of the prior art, and which serve to protect the intellectual property of 3D designers.